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Missed previous Wood Connections issues? 

This is the first-of-its-kind gathering of industry leaders in the growing net-zero energy (NZE) home movement.   

NZE innovators will convene to discuss the evolving practice, building the market, and supporting pillars, and to form a common leadership agenda. Examine and debate model policies, finance and real estate solutions, technology gaps, data sharing, and much more.

As a group, we will map the path to zero - identifying opportunities for collaboration and combining efforts across North America for greater impact. Be a part of developing a tangible, actionable, and aligned plan for catalyzing the market toward shared NZE goals.

Who Should Attend

Anyone at the leading edge of the net-zero energy movement. Builders, developers, designers, product companies, governments and public agencies.

The Net-Zero North American Leadership Summit is where leaders who care about net-zero energy homes and communities can learn from experts and their peers. To optimize the participant experience, this event is designed as a highly interactive exchange to explore our collective practices, lessons learned, and successes. Join other leaders, subject matter experts, and game changers as we harness the power of collaboration and take action by mapping solutions that will break through traditional barriers.

What to Expect

 This Summit is designed to bring together thought leaders who want to drive and shape the future of the NZE movement. This is not a marketing event, trade show, or conference with one-way presentations. The program is structured to encourage debate, discussion, and collaboration. The event will be fun, dynamic, and spur creativity. Expect to leave with valuable new insight from your colleagues at the forefront of NZE.

Date: October 8-10, 2013

This one day workshop will provide you with the tools you need to establish gains in Productivity, Quality, Cost, Safety, and Morale.

A positive approach to continuous improvement in your business will result in significant gains! Click here to hear how it worked for Mitsui Homes Canada Ltd. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d268LAFGlM

This workshop will provide you with methods to conduct Continuous Improvement activities. Through a "Learn by Doing" approach, participants will conduct a practice exercise in tracking internal quality, setting measurements, establishing standards and leadership.

Date/Time: September 17, 7:30am-4:00pm

Location: Morgan Creek Golf Course, 3500 Morgan Creek Way, Surrey 

To register, Click here 

For more information, click here  

Your trade show exhibit can reach thousands of potential customers over a period of three or four days.  That puts a lot of pressure on you, your shipping department, and your carrier to make certain that each display arrives on time to the appropriate venue and stays intact.

Trade show shipping is different than other freight moves.  However, there are things you can do to maintain control and reduce your stress levels. Here are five tips to remember:

1. Properly fill out your bill of lading

Accurate and complete information is essential. Whether shipping to the advance warehouse or shipping directly to the show site, you must include: show name, exhibitor name, booth number, service contractor, the number of pieces, weight per piece and total weight, the payer and the target move-in date. Failure to record any of this information could result in a delay or a very inconvenient situation.

The shapes and sizes of trade show displays can make packaging a challenge.  Custom-made crates and molded cases provide the greatest protection while in transit.  Skids or pallets can also be used, letting you save on packaging materials, but increasing the possibly for damage.  Keep in mind that skids may add to your freight costs since they cannot be stacked.  Consolidating your shipments into fewer containers can be an effective way to achieve minimum weight charges.  Be sure to pack together only items that won't damage one another.  It's always a good idea when you are shipping to or from a show to put your business card in each shipping container to help identify pieces if they become separated from the shipment.

2. Properly pack and label your shipment

Be creative about how you mark your packaging when you ship to a show. Packaging that can be identified from a distance (i.e., different-colored shrink-wrap) will help identify your shipment on the venue's crowded dock and make the move run more smoothly.

Click here to read the entire article 

Roy Manion

Well, the GBM is now in our rear-view mirror. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly these events end. Months and months of preparation by many people and then, suddenly, it's over. However, without all that preparation, there is no doubt that the GBM would not have the success it has enjoyed. While many other conferences suffer from diminishing or low attendance or participation, the GBM continues to grow and once again set a new record this year in many areas. As there will be much said about the GBM in other articles in this edition of Wood Connections, the focus of this article will be with the specifiers and the Wood First Forum portion of the GBM.

For the most part, Scott Thomson handled the lion's share of this year's Wood First Forum; however, I wanted to provide some observations from my perspective.

These observations include:

• This year we set a record for the number of specifiers who attended.
• Although a final tally has yet to be done, it would appear that the number specifiers who had attended previous GBM's and those for whom this was their first year were quite evenly split. This ratio is quite consistent with previous years, with this year's numbers being up.
• Of great importance to BC Wood is that based on discussions I had with many of the architects, all aspects of the conference were felt to be well done. I can't recall hearing one complaint from the architects.
• Mother Nature even chipped in with an incredible sunset witnessed by many at the Roundhouse Restaurant Thursday evening.
• It would appear (and again, this is just early reporting) that although it was difficult to choose, the highlight for many specifiers was the mini-seminar series held with the exhibitors on Friday afternoon.
• Of course, as would be expected with such a great lineup of speakers on Thursday and Saturday's Lunch & Learn session, there were other favorites as well. I can safely state that at the end of each session, I had people come up to me to say what a great session it was.

We do thank all the speakers, 3 of whom travelled great distances to join us (Finland, Germany, and New Zealand) as well as our great local speakers. We ended the Conference with a Lunch & Learn session on Saturday that featured an introduction into Feng Shui and the important role wood plays in this area. As this was my first experience with Feng Shui, I found it quite fascinating.

We are currently following up by sending out evaluations to determine just what we did right and where improvement may be needed. We are also sending in attendance reports to the various associations to ensure the architects and designers receive their important credits.

Meanwhile, even though much time and effort was spent on GBM preparations, life goes on with our other Specifier Program activities. Lunch and learn sessions were held and plans have been made for others for the future. Also, as mentioned in previous Wood Connections, we have a couple of major seminars and tours planned for October. Also, plans are in the works to hold architect sessions in the US and Alberta. These sessions will be similar to those we have held in major centres throughout our province where we were joined by 4 - 6 BC firms who each gave 30 minute educational seminars on their various products. This is a great way for companies to create an awareness of their products and at the same time begin developing relationships with the specifiers who attend these sessions. Therefore, if you are interested in reaching out to specifiers in the Western US (primarily, but not necessarily limited to the Pacific Northwest) and Alberta, let me know, we would be pleased to have you join us. We will also provide assistance where necessary to ensure your presentation meets the American and Alberta Architect Associations' criteria for educational seminars.

I will be going on holidays for a couple of weeks beginning next Friday returning on Oct 9^th. My wife and I along with a couple of good friends are flying to Quebec City where we will take a cruise that will include the Canadian Maritimes and end up in New York. Once we return, we will have lots of work to do.

As always, should you want more information on any aspects of the Specifiers Program including the associations we are now registered with and participation in the US and Alberta events for their respective architects, please let me know by contacting me at rmanion@bcwood.com.

2013 Global Buyers Mission Report  

Later this year, BC Wood will be participating with Industry members in the Denver Log and Timber Home show, September 27th to 29th. The feedback from the members attending last years' Denver show was generally very positive. The number of attendees, while not back to pre-2008 levels, was definitely higher than they had been in recent years. Most exhibitors reported a more positive attitude from the attendees at the show. Individuals who had been hesitant over the past few years to take the final step towards building their projects came to the show ready to build.

The Denver show featured log home and timber frame displays, smaller out-buildings and finished building products such as roofing, flooring, decking and rustic furniture. Over the past few years, a number of BC Wood members from the log and timber frame home sector have used the Denver show to maintain a toe hold in the US market while they cut back on some of their other promotional activities during the slower economic times.

The BC log and timber frame builders have remained active in a number of regional markets in the US like the Rocky Mountain States, because it has been one of the few areas that has shown some activity. The Rocky Mountain States, due to their close geographic proximity to BC, product acceptance, and the clustering of resort developments catering to a wealthy demographic, have continued to be a relatively strong market for BC producers.

We are talking to members now about their space requirements at the Denver show. If you are interested on more information about the show including costs, please contact me at bhawrysh@bcwood.com or in BC Wood's offices at 604-882-7100.

Over the past couple of years, BC Wood has worked with a small group of member companies on developing market opportunities for value-added wood products in Russia. These initial efforts have to date been quite successful. As a result, BC Wood is planning to return to Moscow to participate in the Beautiful House trade show, October 31st to November 3rd.

The Beautiful House exhibition is substantially larger than the Holzhaus fair we have attended in the past. An added bonus is that the Beautiful House show is co- sponsored by the Union of Architects of Russia and the Union of Moscow Architects and held in conjunction with the Russian Architecture Salon. I expect the larger product scope and format of the Beautiful House show will greatly increase the exposure for the companies that plan on participating in the show. The connection that this event has with Russian architects will also enhance our ability to connect with design and construction professionals in Russia.

In the past, BC Woods' members have showcased log home and timber frame structures, factory built homes, high quality millwork, and specialty Western Red Cedar building materials. The larger Beautiful House show should lend itself well to promoting these same products, plus a broader range of finished building materials. Space is available for BC Wood members wanting to participate in the Beautiful House show. I would encourage any companies interested in more information on this show to contact me at bhawrysh@bcwood.com  or in BC Wood's offices at 604-882-7100.